As part of the commemoration of the arrival of the good news from Tokan, municipality of Abomey-Calavi, a round table was organized at the Church of Saint Pierre in Tokan. The objective pursued by the Organizing Committee and the various councils is to federate knowledge to build history.
To know the great facts that trace the arrival of the good news in Tokan, centennial organizers invited not only local elders, of the Church and resource people to revisit the past in order to build the true story so that the memory is not lost. This meeting chaired by Father Basile SOYOYE, Priest of the Societies of African Missionaries (SMA) aroused a strong presence of the faithful and the populations of Tokan and surroundings as well as guests and curious. The panel 1 is entitled “From the foundation of the community to the Parish”, the second panel was titled “Community life through choirs”, the third panel '' On the history of the Catholic community seen by non-Catholics and finally the panel 4, which focused on the prospects and future project.
During the panel 1, the participants of the round table were immersed in the past of the arrival of the good news in Tokan from a video projection. This good news reminds the moderator, Father Basile SOYOYE, SMA arrived through Father Emile Baril, an SMA priest who was leaving Ouidah for the Parish of Saint Antoine de Padoue in Abomey-Calavi.. The story informs that he had come to Houèto in 1920 to evangelize certain natives, especially people of other religions and not Christians. It was later that the good news like a fire ignited Tokan where a warm welcome was reserved for him. Born in Grenoble, France in 1874, Father Emile Baril points out that Father Basile SOYOYE was appointed in 1899 in Dahomey and remained there until 1934. During his stay in Abomey-Calavi, the missionary noticed that there are poor people and especially orphans born in mixed cultures. This is how he created the community of Oblate Catechist Sisters, Little Servants of the Poor.(OCPSP) in 1914. After returning to France, in 1961, he joined heavenly bliss at the age of 87 years. Through a video projection, one of the wise men of Tokan added the story traced by Father Basil SOYOYE. “Tokan is a Parish of joy. love, fraternity and union are the qualities cultivated. We don't have enough room. We gave a place to Tokan”, said the local elder. « 15 years since we became a parish. But we have work. We have a financial and human investment to make so that the good news received by our elders, we can sustain them”, underlined Father SOYOYE.
Everyone's satisfaction
At the end of the various panels, the parish priest of Saint Pierre, Marcel HOUNDEBASSO did not hide his joy. “It is a feeling of great joy that drives me, because this evening allowed us to put together the different stories of the arrival of the good news on this earth. Apparently, we have points of divergence but basically, around a round table we manage to come together because basically there is no divergence. History cuts, the pieces of history that everyone holds, I believe his story is the whole story. But we tried to put everything together and rebuild the history of evangelization of Tokan”, indicated Father Marcel HOUNDEBASSO. “After this round table, we understand that there is still a long way to go. First of all, to follow the logic of our grandparents who accepted that Christ could put down roots on this earth and try to build a community of brothers and sisters as they wanted and as Christ wants for we. We understand that there is a way. There is a way spiritually, in terms of community life, in terms of the infrastructures to be put in place since this parish can really become, a land that is well disposed to welcome and spread the good news of Jesus Christ”, he added.
Fabrice Dimitri YEMADJE, responsable du comité ”Promotion du centenaire” a rappelé les péripéties et les difficultés, but thank God who is the real architect. "This round table is a great success in view of the great mobilization", he noted before thanking all those who worked for the effective holding of this activity. Father HOUNDEBASSO invited the faithful and all the surrounding populations to celebrate this centenary with Tokan. « 100 years, We really have to celebrate them and give thanks to the Lord. That everyone can join us and around our father Archbishop, to celebrate the Lord. The first songs composed to celebrate Saint Peter are songs of unity, that we can remain in this unity that the Lord wants for us”, he concluded.
Note that it is Sunday 3 July 2022 that the festivities within the framework of 15 anniversary years of the Church of Saint Peter in Tokan have come to an end.
Edmond H.